The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-11-04
Good Manners.

manners This is true, but good man
ners rs all will agree, must be spontane-
ous. They must spring from the in
nate dignity and geniality of a mans
nature, or they are worth nothing. A
gracious manner that is assumed, 4
pleasant or sympathetic word that is
spoken as Il mere passing tlattery, OF
without any real feeling, can easily be
distinguished: the ring of the true met
al is wanting.
Nothing ought to be pleasanter or
more exalting to our minds than social
intercourse, and this must be made
pleasant, or the reverse. by the due OBJ
servance of good manners. When we
come to look back upon our lives, We
must own. every one of us. that we
have liked those of our acquaintance
I the best who have drawn out the most
of the good that is in us, who have
kindled the strongest desire to increase
our knowledge, and to raise the stand
ard of thoughts. The foundation of
every human soul is goodness.
"Eudosia," Il heroine of very ancient
days, was thus described by her biogra-
phcr: ''She had all the arts Of life and
good breeding, and was well.mannered,
with so much ease that the virtue and
beauty Of her conduct looked more
like instinct than choice
Good nature, benevolence, and con-
sideration should always have Il place
in our intercourse with others. 1t is
too true that to run down our neigh
bors is often more amusing than to
speak well of them. There is much
i'll everyone. if we have the wit to do IT.,
which can be caricatured. but it is Il
most dangerous pastime.
There iSa letter, well worth reading
written By the Empress Of Austria
Maria Theresa to her daughter, Marie
Antoinette, in which she gives her ad-
vice as to her daily conduct in society,
and entreats her ''never to laugh at
people, or turn them into ridicule, or
show an exclusive preference for the
more youthful or attractive portion of
her society to the neglect of those who
were older.and of higehr consideration !;
that to do so would win the applause
of Il few young people, but would es-
TRANCE much greater number, and
those the people of the most real
weight And Sir Henry Taylor, in
his autobiography, lately published,
gives this advice as to good manners
1T is the best, because the most benevo-
lent, good breeding which, without re-
regard to personal preference, deals to
all in general society an equal, or at
least, Il fair measure of social attention. .
ELSEWHERE" he says, ''there is space for
personal preference"
There is no more essential an ingre-
dient in the cup of pleasantness than
tact, and vet how little of it there is
How often man or woman engrOsses
4 whole conversation to him or herself.
forgetting that everyone likes to have
his "innings,' and that silence would
be most welcome.
1t is Il secret known to but few. vet
of no small Importance in the conduct
of life, that when YOU enter into con-
versation with man, the first thing
YOU should consider is whether he has
Il greater inclination to hear YOU, or
that You sholud hear him. | have heard
many lament that they have no flow of
language, and cannot keep up small
talk in society; but if man cannot
| talk. he can often be still more agreea. j..
bic to his company, as we'll as pleased
in himself. if he is only hearer. Any
one who possesses the rare gift of tact
will be able to see with Il Tightening
glance that for some reason. unknown
or forgotten. Il subject is painful or un-
pleasant to some one Of the company,
and will be able to change it adroitly.
vet not SO suddenly as 10 call special at
tentlon to it. 1t is also Il happy art to
listen with patience to IN mecdote. or
piece Of news which We have heard be-
fore, or to Il Joke which has been worn
threadbare; but it is an effort which
courtesy. kindness. and good manners
demand.
have heard people who. after Il
story has been told in a most entertan-
ing manner, with perhaps some par
donabIe establishment, tell it over
AGAIN. with minute particulars that de-
strov the zest but throw light into the
truth of what really took place. This
may proceed from a strict love of truth.
! but it is not good manners.
The want of good manners indeed,
of any manner at all-has its root il
the way children are left almost en-
| tirelv 10 govcrnesses and servants.
You cannot teach child too soon the
refinement of manners; and for this
| they must be for some part of every
day i'll the company Of well bred and
we'll hammered people. 1t is of no use
to suppose that good manners will grow
like mushrooms in a night. The au-
| thor of ''John Halifax" writing upon
this subject, remarks that among the
French ''the little people are always